The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Dr. Haliru Bello and his son, Abba, got N300million about 11 days to the presidential election.
The cash was drawn from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Bello, who was still in the hospital as at last night, is likely to be arraigned today before the Federal High Court Abuja on four-count charge.
Other accused persons are Abba and BAM Projects and Properties Limited.
A top source in the EFCC said: “All things being equal, we will arraign the suspects in court on Wednesday. The EFCC prosecutors are already on standby.
“Concerning the ex-PDP National Chairman in the hospital, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. The Operations Department will determine his fate based on medical records.”
In the charge sheet, the EFCC claimed that Bello, a former Minister of Defence, got the N300million cash on March 17, 11 days to the presidential election.
The election was held on March 28, 2015.
In the charge sheet, filed by the Deputy Director of Legal and Prosecution Department of EFCC, Aliyu. M. Yusuf, the three accused persons were alleged to have engaged in unlawful possession, conversion, and theft of N300million.
The charges: “That you Bello Abba Mohammed, BAM Projects and Projects and Dr. Haliru Bello on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took possession of the sum of N300million paid into the account of BAM Projects and Properties Limited with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the CBN when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section (15) (3) of the same Act.
“That you Bello Abba Mohammed, BAM Projects and Properties Limited and Dr. Haliru Bello on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N300million which sum was transferred from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the CBN purporting same to be for “Safe Houses” but which you claimed to have for political campaign and when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section (15) (3) of the same Act.
“That you Bello Abba Mohammed and BAM Projects and Properties Limited on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the sum of N300million on behalf of Dr. Haliru Bello and Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the former Chairman of PDP and National Security Adviser respectively by concealing the said sum in your account with Sterling Bank Plc when you knew the said Dr. Haliru Bello and Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(Rtd) to be engaged in a criminal conduct to wit: theft of public fund for a political activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section (17) (b) of the same Act.
“That you Bello Abba Mohammed, BAM Projects and Properties Limited and Dr. Haliru Bello on or about 17th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire to launder the sum of N300million which sum you claimed to have received for political campaign and when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(Rtd), the then National Security Adviser( to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section (15) (3) of the same Act.”
In a Statement of Witness/ Caution which he wrote on oath, Yuguda admitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he gave N600million cash to six chairmen of the Contact and Mobilization Committees of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the 2015 general election.
He listed the beneficiaries as Bode George( South-West); Amb. Yerima Abdullahi ( North-East); Peter Odili( South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa( North-West); Jim Nwobodo( South -East); North-Central(Ahmadu Ali).